THE SPIN CYCLE: 5 Plays By Jerrod Bogard Runs 1/22-2/7

Shortened Attention Span Theatre and Wide Eyed Productions are joining forces this January to bring you The Spin Cycle, an evening of 5 one-act plays by Jerrod Bogard that will perform at the Players' Theatre Loft January 22nd through February 7th. The Spin Cycle will be performed Thursday through Saturday at 8pm. Special Sunday matinee performance on January 25th at 3pm. Tickets are available at www.TheaterMania.com, or call 212-352-3101. Tickets are $18.00.

Bogard is threading together his five diversely styled pieces to create one cohesive theatrical experience. The evening begins with a clip from "The Spin Cycle," hosted by Dan Dillinger. It's a send-up of cable news shows (filmed by Emmy Award Winner Brian Bernhard). The plays then leap out of the Television and onto the Players' Loft stage.

Between each play audiences are treated to another mini-logue from Dillinger, all building toward the final play in which we find ourselves at a taping of "The Spin Cycle," complete with live video feeds from onstage cameras connecting a soldier in Baghdad to his loving family in Dallas, Texas. Seen together, as designed here, theses plays are an acute indictment of the American media, and a gratifying, ambitious evening of theatre.

Copper Green (premiere) directed by Jake Witlen– co-founder of the Internationalists and member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab. While on vacation in New York City, a mid-western family takes a ride on the Staten Island Ferry to see Lady Liberty. But young Jake can't figure out why his big-brother should be overseas fighting for this ugly statue. Only in New York City could you see this scene on your daily commute.

Hedge (premiere) directed by Anthony Augello– Board Member of Brooklyn Theatre Arts Project, Inc. Sunbathing beauties argue the merits of the new privacy hedge while the paparazzi snap pictures in the Hollywood Hills. The hysterical ending has us asking, are the hedges designed to keep people from seeing in or from seeing out?

Just Your Average G.I. Joe directed by Kristin Skye Hoffmann– Artistic Director of Wide Eyed Productions and starring the playwright as Justin, a hawkish war vet pushed to give his unique view on yellow ribbons. This monologue play was part of Bogard's award-winning triptych, Plays for the Sunni Triangle.

First Base Coach directed by Neil Fennell, Award Winning director from University of Northern Colorado. Nine year-old Ben meets 11 year-old Amy for a date on the baseball field. He's been instructed on how to get a girl to first base, but he's not exactly sure what he's supposed to do once they get there. Lucky for him, Amy knows the score. Remember your first time on first?

Jerome Via Satellite (premiere) directed by Justin Ness. It's 8,000 miles from Dallas to Baghdad, and it's been two years since Jerome has seen his family back home. Now #1 cable news show, "The Spin Cycle," is proud to reunite them through a video satellite feed. Millions of viewers are watching live, and they're going to see a good deal more than the network promos promised they'd see.

* Video interludes are directed by Brian Bernard– Emmy Award Winning creator of CUNY TV's "Art or Something Like It."

A graduate of Florida School of the Arts, Jerrod began his show business career as a puppeteer for Bits 'N Pieces in Tampa, FL. Jerrod has written, directed and performed productions for children and adults all around the U.S. and Europe and taught workshops on improvisation and classical theatre styles at grade schools and colleges across the country. Performed an original shadow puppet show at the Prague International Festival of Puppet Arts in the Czech Republic. Wrote and directed the short film Gatorman (Best Mini-Picture- Bare Bones International Film Festival). His plays have been produced in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. Plays written include: Plays for the Sunni Triangle (Winner "Most Outstanding Script" - Endtimes Productions' One-act Festival, NYC); Hugging the Shoulder (semi-finalist O'Neill Playwrights Conference). In Sheep's Clothing (Best Play Nominee - Strawberry One-Act Festival); Jerrod lives in New York City and is a member of The Dramatists Guild of America. Visit him at www.inkythumbs.com.

Shortened Attention Span was founded by Carlo Rivieccio and Christy Benanti in 2007 as a means for writers to develop their works in an affordable and professional setting.  Shortened Attention Span provides up and coming writers with guaranteed performances, postcards for mailings, professional press representation within its festivals.  In September of 2008, SAS has moved into producing full-length plays and musicals from writers and performers that have produced work with our festivals.

Wide Eyed Productions is a New York City-based collective of artists dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in risk-taking, relevant theatre. Our core ensemble is committed to the birth of new works and also the rebirth of the classic texts. Through our collaborative process W.E. discovers and creates theatre that both stimulates the imagination and awakens the public's passion for high standards in the performing arts.

Listing Details: Tickets are available at www.TheaterMania.com, or call 212-352-3101. Tickets are $18.00. You can also call The Players Theatre at 212-475-1449 to confirm availability for tickets at the door on the day of the show.

The Players Theatre is located at 115  MacDougal Street at Minetta Lane. For more information call: 212-475-1449.

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